Combined moistening, combing, and ironing machine for furs



Sept. 7, 1943. a HART 2,328,643

COMBINED MOISTENING, COMBING AND IRONING. MACHINE FOR FURS Filed June 24, 1941 I 4 sheets-sheet 1 a lo INVENTOR.

ADOLPH HART ATTORNEY.

-Sept.- 7, 1943. HART 2,328,643

COMBINED MOISTENING, COMBING AND IRONING MACHINE FOR FURS Filed June 24, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fzl 3 INVENTOR. A DOLP H H A an M9 my,

Sept. 7, 1943. HART 2,328,643

COMBINED MOISTENING, COMBING AND IRONINGMACHINE FOR FURS 4 Filed June24, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. A D 0 LP H H A R:r

@M W ATTORNEY.

Sept. 7, 1943. A, HART vCOMBING AND IRONING MACHINE FOR FURS Filed J une 24. 1941 COMBINED MOI STENQING,

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVEN TOR. ADOLPH HART ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 7, 1943.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- cormmnn MOISTENING, comma, AND

N momma momma son was Adolph Hart, New York, N. Y. Application June 24, 1941, Serial No. 399,445

9 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a combined machine for moistening, combing and ironing sheep skins and the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a machine of the character described comprising a frame and a table with a blanket'vertically movably mounted on the frame for supporting skins to be processed and means for lifting and lowering the blanket for engaging and disengaging the skins being treated against an ironing drum, in combination with a moistening and carding drum rotatably mounted in front of the ironing drum.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for rotating the moistening and carding drum concomitantly with the rotation of the ironing drum.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for causing reciprocating motion of the moistening and carding drum while the said drums rotate in opposite directions.

' ings and pointed out in the claims which form part of this specification.

Reference will now be had to the drawings, wherein-like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevatlonal view of the in- Figure 9 is an end view of the moistening and carding drum, partly broken away to show details of automatic-brush cleaningmeans.

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the burner and a thermostat for controlling the supply of gas to a valve and to the burner.

Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of a cam lever.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the muneral It indicates a combined machine for moistening, combing and ironing sheep skins and the like, comprising a frame ll having a table l2 in which a, blanket I3 is vertically movably mounted.

An ironing drum l4 having hollow shaftsor trunnions ii at each end is rotatably mounted in bearings l8 directly above the rear portion of the table l2. Within the ironing drum I4 is a stationary gas burner I! having gas supplied thereto through a gas supply pipe l8 passing through one of the hollow trunnions Ill. The pipe I8 is of smaller outer diameter than the inner diameter of the hollow trunnions so as to be spaced therefrom and so that the pipe I 8 may remain stationary while the trunnions rotate.

The frame ll comprises a pair of spaced parallel side walls 20, 2|! which have low front portions 2| and high rear portions 22 which overhang the front portions 2|. A pair of parallel bridge members 23 are mounted across the low portions 2| and connected to the side walls 20, 20' in unitaryrelation. The bridge members have inclined sides extending upwardly from the outer faces of the side walls 20, 20' and terminat- The blanket i3 is slidably mounted on the bar machine shown in Figure 1, the drive gears bemounting the moistening and carding drum.

across the front of the put-out portion 21 and are secured to a pair of arms 36. The arms 38 extend transversely along the sides of the cutout 2'! and are pivotally supported at their rear ends on pins 31 to portions of the rear bridge member 23. The front end of the blanket I3 is slidably mounted on an intermediate bar 35 and In practice, the table I2 is is fixedly held by bars 35 and 38 fixed to the front ends of th arms 36. A pair of elongated thread members 32 threaded in the rear bridge member 23 have their upper ends in engagement with a bar 3|. The threaded members 32 have heads 33 at their lower ends by which they may be gripped and turned. By adjusting the threaded-members 32 the tension of the springs may' be regulated to hold the blanket I3 in taut position. The blanket I3 is made from sheet felt material or a suitable cloth and reinforced and stiffened by wire mesh belting 33 of the same width asthe blanket I3. The blanket I3 and the wire mesh belt 39 are Jointly secured at their front end portions to the bars 35 and 38. The wire mesh belting extends over the two bars 35 and over the bar 28 and is attached at its rear end to the bar 29. The wire mesh belting 39 assists in tautly supporting the blanket I3.

The means for lifting and lowering the blanket I3 include a link 40 which is pivotally connected by a pintle 4| to a bracket 42 secured to a bar 43. The bar 43 is mounted on the front ends of the arms 36. The link 40 extends downwards and rearwards and pivotally connects witha lever 44. The front end of the lever 44 terminates in a pedal 45 by means of which th front end of the lever may be depressed.

The lever 44 is pivotally supported intermediate its ends on a pin 46 in lugs 41 extending from a bracket 48. The bracket 48 is secured to the side walls 20, 20' of the frame I I. A spring 50 is connected between the bottom end of the link 40 and a stationary rod 5| on the frame and serves to maintain the blanket I3 in its lowered position. When the pedal 45 is depressed, the blanket I3 will move upwardly into engagement with the drum I4.

As best shown in Figure 3, the bearings I6 .are secured tooverhanging portions 22 of the frame II. The outer end of one of the trunnions I5 carries apair of pulleys 52, 53, the pulley 52 being keyed to the trunnion and the pulley 53 being freely rotatably mounted on the trunnion. A belt 54 engages one of the pulleys. A shifting mechanism 55, well known in the art, provides means for shifting the belt from one pulley to the other.

The drum l4 has hollow cylindrical extension members 55 serving as dust 'and fiame shields for preventing the flame from the burner H from reaching skins placed on the blanket I3. The shields 55 also prevent dust from the skins entering the drum I4 and being burned. As shown in Figure 4, the hollow cylindrical members 55 are attached to the ends of the drum I4 by screws 56 (Fig, 4) which engage bosses 51 formed on the ends of the drum I4.

As shown in Figures 5 to '7 inclusive, the ironing drum has a plurality of substantially V- shaped beating grooves 60, the apices being positioned in offset relation with the middle of the drum so as to cover the entire circumference of the drum with the grooves and provide continuous action on the-sheep skins. As shown in Figure 6, the beating grooves 60 are of triangular cross-section. Each groove is defined by a radially positioned wall 6| and by a wall 62 positioned at an acute angle with the said radial wall. The radially disposed walls of the said grooves function to raise and stretch the hairs of the fur being treated.

A moistening and carding drum 64 is fixed to a shaft 65 rotatably mounted in bearings 66. The shaft 65 is hollow throughout its length, the hollow portion being indicated by the numeral A drive gear 61 fixed to one of the trunnions I5 is in intermeshing relation with a gear 68 fixed to the shaft 05. The gears serve for imparting motion to the drums I4 and 64 in opposite directions.

The diameter of the gear 81 is larger than the diameter of the gear 68, and the peripheral speed of the drum I4 is slightly greater than the peripheral speed of the drum 64, so that there will be a constant rearward pull of the sheepskin.

Each bearing 66 forms an integral extension of an elongated housing 83 pivotally mounted on a trunnion I5. As best shown in Figure 8, each housing 69 has a front end bearing 66 for the shaft 65,. anda centrally positioned bearing I0 for one of the trunnions, and anelongated arcuate opening II providing clearance passage therethrough for a tie rod 12 of the frame II. The opening II also serves to receive upper and lower coil springs 13 on opposite sides of the tie rod. A link 15 pivoted to the housing '59 by a pin 16 and to the lever 44 by a pin 11, serves for lowering the drum 64 concomitantly with the raising of the blanket I3 by the pedal 45.

The means for reciprocating the drum 64 comprises a lever 80 mounted on a pivot 8| secured in a bracket 82. The bracket 82 extends from I the outer face of the side wall 20' and may be .bolted to the drum 64.

fixed to said side wall by means of bolts 83. At

the far end of the lever 80 is a roller 84 mounted on a roller stud 85. The roller 84 fits in a race: way groove 86 of a cam 01 which is fixed to one of the trunnions I5. The cam raceway 88 is inclined to the axis of the trunnion (Figure 1) and when the cam i rotated it causes the lever 80 to vibrate.

At the front end of the lever 80 is a roller 80 mounted on a roller stud 88 which is adapted to ride in a groove 90 in a disk 9| fixed to the shaft 65. The groove 90 is in right-angular relation with the shaft 65. Rotation of the cam 81 causes vibratory motion to be imparted to the lever 80 and to the shaft 55.

As shown in Figure 9, the moistening and carding orcombing drum 64 is mounted centrally on the shaft 65 which is hollow and is connected through a liquid-tight packed joint to a source of chemical solution supply (not shown), Feed pipes are connected to the hollow shaft 65 and pass through apertures in flanges 96 which are The flanges 86 support elongated layers of liquid absorbing fabric such as felt in. A combing brush as is fixed to the outer surface of the drum 64 and carries bristles 99 which extend through apertures in a radially movable frame I00. The frame I00 has apertures IOI through which liquid from the felt 01 may pass radially outwardly into contact with a sheep skin on the table I2 when forcibly brought in contact with the sheep skin.

The frame I00 has laterally extending cylindrical projections terminating in heads I02. The cylindrical projections pass through apertures in the drum and the heads I02 are positioned inside the drum. The heads limit the outward movement of the frame to substantially the outer ends of the bristles 99. Coil springs I03 mounted on the cylindrical projections resiliently force the frame I00 outwardly and thus automatically remove hairs collected on the comb and maintain the comb in clean condition.

y There is a number of brushes 98 and an equal number of frames I00 spaced around the periphery of the 'drum-64. During operation, the

A assesses pressure of the sheep skin against the frames forces the frames radially inwardly against respective layers of wet felt and resulting in a continuous supply of chemical solution being delivered to the outer surface of the sheep skin.

It is to be noted that the sides ofthe'frames I are not sheet surfaces and that the cylindrical projections terminating in heads I02 may be made integral with the frames I00 in any suitable manner such as by welding.

It is also to be noted that the bristles 99 are positioned all around the boundaries of the felt 01 and that the bristlesdo not cover the felt. The felt is bodily and marginally intact and that the chemical solution passes through the felt solely through the usual interstices in its fibrous body.

As bestshown'inFigure 10, the burner I1 is fixedly mounted upon an end portion of the fuel" supply pipe I8. The gas pipe I0 is in practice connected with a supply of gas or fuel oil and controlled by a thermostat I05 having an expansion system such as mercury which is arranged to interrupt the gas supply when the required temperature is attained. A perforated pipe I08 mounted at the central portion ofthe burner I'I serves to receive the thermostat and a flexible extension I01 which is connected to a thermostatically controlled valve wherein the expansion causes a gas passage in the, valve to be shut oi!.

The thermostat valve assembly I08, shown diagrammatically in Figure 10, comprises a casing I09 having a gas inlet I I0. and a gas outlet III at its lower elevation. A valve II2 has an integral collar II 3 against which a coil spring Ill reacts and raises the valve of! its seat to permit as to flow from the inlet IIO to the outlet III. The flexible extension I01 is a tube of small diameter which is connected to the lower portion of the valve casing and feeds into an opening II5 above the valve stem. When the temperature in the burner rises above a predetermined temperature, the expanded mercury in the thermostat I05 fills the opening III and pressesthe valve II2 against its seat and shuts oil? the as supply. mercury is forced into the thermostat. I05, permitting the spring IN to raise the valve from its seat and admit an increased flow of gas into the burner. In practice, the valve II2 rests slightly above the seat to permit a pilot light to be constantly burning in the burner.

It is to be noted that the moistening and carding drum 64 has a plurality of brushes 98 which are longitudinally positioned along the surface of the drum and in angular relation therewith so as to extend around the entire circumference of the drum and be adapted to grip a fur skin at all points of the drums circumference.

A conduit H8 is mounted on the frame of the machine and e'xtendspartly over the drum I4 as When the temperature drops, the

beating grooves 30 in the drum ll which raise the hairs of the skin and move the skin rearwardly.

The brushes on the drum B4 sweep and comb the sheep skin in a direction facing the operator. when the sheep skin reaches a position in which its front end is almost beneath the drum. I4, the pedal is released. The blanket I3 moves downwardly and permits disengagement of the sheep skin from the drums. 'The operator then pulls the sheep skin back to its original position in front of the drum I4. The pedal 45 is again depressed, and the above operation is repeated a number of times. The sheep skin is then turned around so that its front/ end faces rearwardly and the ironing and beating and combing process is repeated. v

,It is to be noted that by means of this combined machine for moistening, carding or combing, and ironing sheep skins and the like, it is possible to treat the woolof sheep skinor the like to resemblethe hair of a fur skin, also that the brushes 98 do not require any cleaning during the operation of the machine, also that by means of a Sylphon H0 and a dial II! it is possible to regulate the operation of the thermostat valve so that the temperature in the ironing drum may be maintained at a predetermined degree.

The Sylphon member H6 is an extensible container having a cavity therein, The expanded mercury enters said cavity simultaneously with its entering the opening I I5 above the valve stem. The numeral II'I indicates a dial or dial casing the upper surface of which carries indicia indicating temperature conditions in the drum. The dial casing is in threaded engagement with the valve casing I09. By threading the member I" downwardly, the Sylphon member is compressed, thereby reducing the volume of the cavity therein and causing a quicker action against the valve II2.

By causing upward or downward movements of the member II II and thereby regulating the length of the inherently extensible Sylphonmember H8 and the volume of the cavity in the said member it is possible to predetermine the temperature at which the expanded mercury will shut off the gas supply to the burner.

It has been found that the color of dyed sheep skin varies with the intensity of the .heat in the ironing andhtretching drum. The importance moistening and combing drum 64 has its lower shown in Figure 3; and is adapted to be connected with a suction fan (not shown), for suck ing in and carrying away dust from the. fur skins.

Operation of invention of the automatic provision of heat control and the resulting absolute'uniformity in the colors of the processed sheep skins is thus clearly evident.

Referring to Figure 3, it will be seen that the surface at a higher elevation above the table I2 and that the sheep skin being treated-first contacts the ironing and stretching drum l4 and then contactsthe moistening and combing drum.

It is to be noted that I have made the link 40 of two relatively slidable members onehaving a cylindrical extension H9 and the other having an elongated aperture I20 to receive said extension. A coil spring I2I is mounted on the ex- 7 tension intermediate the said two members.

-It will thus be noted that the pedal 45 operates both links 40 and 15, the link 40 serving to raise the platform I2 and blanket I3, and the link I5 serving to concomitantly lower the moistening and combing drum 64.

It is to be noted that while I have shown a gas burner for heating the interior of the ironing drum, that I may apply electric resistances within the said drum and heat the drum by means of an electric current.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described and illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention, but it will be understood that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A machine for treating sheep skins and the like, comprising a, frame, atable mounted on said frame and having a cut out portion, a blanket.

vertically movably mounted, in said cut out portion, an ironing and stretching drum rotatably mounted above said table, a moistening and carding drum rotatably mounted in spaced-apart vertically movably mounted in said out out portion, an ironing and stretching drum rotatably mounted above said table, heating means within said drum, a moistening and carding drum rotatably mounted in spaced apart relation in front of said ironing and stretching drum, means for positively rotating said 'drums in opposite directions, means for reciprocating said moistening and carding drum concomitantly with the rotation thereof, and means for raising and lowering said blanket into or out of contact with said drums, resilient means mounted in said frame and operatively associated with said moistening and carding drum, said resilient means being tensioned when said moistening and carding drum is in pressure contact with said blanket, said resilient means serving to restore said moistening and carding drum to its original position.

3. A machine for treating sheep skins and the like, comprising a frame, a table mounted on said frame and having an opening at its rear portion, a blanket vertically movably mounted in said opening, an ironing and stretching drum rotatably mounted above said table, heating means within said drum, a moistening and carding drum rotatably mounted in spaced-apart relation in front of said ironing and stretching drum, means for rotating said drums in opposite directions, means for reciprocating said moistening and carding drum concomitantly with the rotation thereof, and means for raising said blanket into contact with said drums, resilient means mounted in said frame and operatively associated with said moistening and carding drum, said resilient means being tensioned when said moistening and rotation thereof, means for raising said blanket into contact with said drums, and thermostatic means for automatically controlling the intensity of heating of said ironing and stretching drum, resilient means mounted in said frame and operatively associated with said moistening and carding drum, said resilient means being tensioned when said moistening and carding drum is in pressure contact with said blanket, saidresilient means serving to restore said moistening and carding drum to its original position.

, 5. A machine for treating sheep skins and the like, comprising a frame, a table mounted on said frame and having an opening at its rear portion, a blanket vertically movably mounted in said opening, an ironing and stretching drum rotatably mounted above said table, heating means within said drum, a moistening and carding drum having combing brushes rotatably mounted .in spaced-apart relation in front of said ironing and stretching drum, means for rotating said drums in opposite directions, means for reciprocating said moistening and carding drum concomitantly with the rotation thereof, means for raising said blanket into contact with said drums, means for automatically cleaning said combing brushes during the operation of said machine, and thermostatic means for automatically controlling the intensity of heating of said ironing and stretching drum, resilient means mounted in said frame and operatively associated with said moistening and carding drum, said resilient means being tensioned when said moistening and carding drum is in pressure contact with said blanket, said resilient means serving to restore said moistening and carding drum to its original position. v

6. A machine for treating sheep skins and the like, comprising a vertically movable fur supporting platform, a rotatably mounted ironing and stretching drum, a moistening and combing drum rotatably mounted in spaced-apart relation in front of said ironing and stretching drum, means for raising and lowering said platform into contact with said drums, means for rotating said drums in opposite directions, and means for reciprocating said moistening and combing drum.

7. A machine for treating sheep skins and the like, comprising a vertically movable fur supporting platform, a rotatably mounted ironing and stretching drum, a moistening and combing drum rotatably mounted in front of said ironing and stretching drum, means for raising said platform into contact with said ironing and stretching drum prior to contacting said moistening and combing drum, means operatively associated with said platform raising means for lowering said moistening and combing drum, means for rotating said drums in opposite directions, and means for reciprocating said moistening and combing drum,

8. In a machine for treating sheep skins and the like, comprising a platform having a pliable vertically movable central portion, a rotatably mounted ironing and stretching drum. a rotatably mounted moistening and combing drum, meansfor rotating said drums in opposite directions, means for pivotally mounting said moistening and combing drum for swinging motion v asaaccs about the axis of said ironingand stretching drum, said moistening and combing drum having a hollow shaft and means for feeding a liquid through said hollow shaft and radially outwardly through apertures in the periphery of said drum, meansfor moving said central portion of said platform into contact with the lower portion of said ironing and stretching drum prior to contacting the lower portion of said moistening and combing drum.

9. In a machine for treating sheep skins and the like, comprising a frame having a fixed platform with a central opening and a pliable blanket vertically movablymounted in said central opening, said blanket being reinforced and tautly supported by wire mesh belting, said wire mesh belting being movably mounted over bars extending transversely of said opening, a rotatably mounted ironing and stretching drum, a rotatably mounted moistening and combing drum, said drums having unequal circumferences and being driven by intermeshing gears of sizes causing said ironing and stretching drum to rotate in an opposite direction to said moistening and combing drum at a peripheralspeed slightly greater than said moistening and combing drum, means for pivotally mounting said moistening and combing drum for swinging motion about the axis of said ironing and stretching drum, said moistening and combing drum having a hollow shaft and apertures extending radially in the periphery thereof for feeding a liquid outwardly at the periphery of said drum, means for moving said blanket into contact with the lower portion of said ironing and stretching drum prior to contacting the lower portion of said moisteningand combing drum and resilient means mounted in said frame and operatively associated with said moistening an'd combing drum, said resilient means being 

